The card is not the status
A 10-year Green Card is proof of lawful permanent resident status. When the card expires, the proof expires; the status does not end because a date on a card passed. USCIS treats these separately: the card is replaced with Form I-90, while status is a separate legal question that only changes through specific events such as a removal order or abandonment.
That said, USCIS also says a permanent resident must carry a valid, unexpired card or equivalent proof at all times. An expired card causes real problems: starting a job, renewing a driver's license, re-entering the country after travel, proving status to a landlord.
Renewing a 10-year card
- The form is I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. USCIS suggests filing when the card has expired or will expire within six months.
- When USCIS receives the I-90, it sends a receipt notice (Form I-797). Since September 2024 that receipt, together with the expired card, extends the card's validity for 36 months from the expiration date printed on the card. Employers accept the pair as a List A document for Form I-9.
- If you need proof sooner, for example to travel, USCIS can issue a temporary stamp in your passport, called an ADIT stamp, through an appointment with the USCIS Contact Center.
The one case this does not cover
A 2-year card means conditional residence, usually through marriage or investment. That card is not renewed with I-90. Conditional residents file to remove the conditions, Form I-751 or Form I-829, in the 90 days before the card expires. Missing that window is a different and more serious situation than an expired 10-year card, and it is a reason to talk to a qualified advisor right away.
What to do this week
- Look at the front of your card: a 10-year card says “Resident Since”; a 2-year card says “Conditional Resident.”
- For a 10-year card, gather the expired card and the fee from the USCIS fee schedule. File online or by mail.
- Keep the receipt notice with the card; that pair is your proof for up to 36 months.
- If anything in your history is complicated, a criminal record, long trips abroad, a pending case, ask a legal aid organization or an accredited representative before filing. The organizations below are a place to start.
Advocasí helps people prepare forms like the I-90 at a flat price once they know it is the right form for them. We do not decide that, and we are not a law firm.